Truss



Aug. 9, 1932.

P. w. DAVIS ETAL TRUSS Filed June 26, 1951 Patented Aug. 9, 1932 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE PAUL W. DAVIS AN D JAMES M. BOOTH, OF KANSAS CITY,MISSOURI TRUSS Application filed June 26,

This invention relates to trusses, and particularly to a device of thecharacter having advantages over those of the prior art, novel meansbeing provided for retaining pads in 5 place without the employment ofsupports which press on the abdomen or which necessitate the use ofshoulder straps or suspenders. Pressure on the abdomen is apt to causean enlargement of the rupture by reason of the fact that the intestinesare caused to exert pressure at the rupture and this invention, asstated, obviates such pressure.

It is a further object of this invention to provide pads whichdistribute pressure on the surfaces around the rupture and Which relievethe localization of pressure at the rupture, as such localized pressurealso has a tendency to exaggerate the rupture.

It is furthermore an object of the invention to provide novel bracingmeans for the pads which are so applied and fastened to the pads as toescape contact with the person wearing the truss, the said bracingelement being yieldable in order that the movement of the body will notcause a distortion or movement of one pad under the influence of themovement of the other pad.

It is a further object of the invention to produce a truss of thecharacter indicated which can be readily applied or removed, and whereinthe devices for holding the truss in place are adjustable in order thatthey may be fitted to wearers of difi'erent sizes and proportions.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists inthe details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination ofparts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing forming part of this application, wherein likecharacters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in whichFigure 1 illustrates a view in front elevation of the truss applied;

Figure 2 illustrates a rear elevation there of; and

Figure 3 illustrates a sectional view of the pads on the line 33 of Fig.1, omitting the 1931. Serial No. 547,119.

be limited with respect to the material employed in the formation of thepads. A twopart brace consisting of the plates 6 and 7 cs cillates onpivots S and 9, respectively, and each of the pivots is carried by oneof the aforesaid plates, which is identified by the numeral 10. It isshown in Fig. 3 that the brace is remote from the surfaces of the padswhich are intended to contact the body of the wearer and the degree ofthis separation is such as to preclude contact of the brace and the bodyof the wearer. The plates 6 and 7 are so articulated or connectedtogether by a member 11 as to permit one of the pads to move withoutliability of imparting undue movement to the other pad. The plates arefurthermore provided with apertures such as 11" to receive theconnection 11 and the brace may be lengthened or shortened by applyingthe connection 11 in coinciding apertures of the plates when the saidplates have been properly positioned.

As a. means for securing the truss in place, each pad at its upper endmay be provided with a fastening element 12 such as a ring which isengaged by a hook 13 on one end of a strap 14 which extends across theback approximately horizontally, the ends of the said strap embracingthe side of the body and extending downwardly slightly, when in place,so that when it is anchored to the upper end of a pad, it tends tosupport the pad and, in conjunction with other devices, to be presentlyexplained, holds the said pad in operative position. The pads arepreferably positioned with their upper ends diverging.

plane above the upper ends of the pads with A strap 15 is intended toextend horizontalby which the ends of the second mentioned ly across thebody below the strap 1a and it is strap are connected to the pads neartheir preferably provided with adjustable extenlower ends, and strapsconnected to the second sions such as 16 at its ends and the saidexmentioned strap at the rear and adapted to tensions are provided withfastenings such as extend through the crotch of a wearer, the '10 V snaphooks which engage a ring such as 18 front ends of said straps havingmeans by anchored to the pad. which they are connected to the pads nearThe straps 14 and are preferably twotheir lower ends. part structures,the said parts being adjust- PAUL W. DAVIS. 10 ably connected by bucklessuch as 19, but other JAMES M. BOOTH. (5

appropriate devices for accomplishing this result may be used.Vertically disposed straps 20 and 21 connect the straps 14 and '15 andserve as supports for the lowermost strap 15 15 to prevent sagging ofthe same. Straps 22 and 23, preferably two-piece structures, each Iextend from one of the pads through the crotch of the wearer and haveanchorages on the strap 15 preferably through the employ- 20 ment ofshort connections such as 2&, each of V which has one end looped aroundthe strap 15 and secured thereto by stitching or the like, the saidextension 24 being adjustably secured to the main portion 22 or 23 byadjustable de- 35 vices 25 such as buckles. In referring to theconnecting devices or fastenin gs, the inventors have described andillustrated one operative form, but it is understood that these may bemodified to suit particular require- I ments without departing from thescope of j the invention set forth in the claim.

It has been found that a truss made in accordance with the foregoing maybe worn without discomfiture, without liability of ex- 55 ertion ofpressure across the abdomen or bladder, and that the connection andleverage pro vided by the cooperating plates 6 and 7 allows an automaticadjustment of the pads during the movement of the body while bending toone side or the other, or while bending for- I wardly, and the provisionof holding the pads inplace without the employment of shouldersupporting elements is an added source of comfort for the user. -Shouldthe wearer have a single rupture, Y

the use of the two pads would be an advantage as serving to strengthenthe muscles on the other side and to guard against the development ofarupture, and it will furthermore W serve toretain the pad on theruptured side in p effective operative position.

We claim: I In a truss, elongated pads, means for hold- .mg the pads indiagonal positions with their upper ends diverging, a two-part braceeach 126 part being pivotallyconnected to one of the pads and pivots bwhich the two parts of the brace are pivotal y connected, a-supportingstrap adapted to extend horizontally on a their ends adapted to embracethe sides of the wearer, fastenings by which the ends of the strap areconnected to the pads, a strap adapted to occupy a position parallelwith the first w mentioned strap and therebelow, connections I 130

